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Savvy Guide to MP3s for Your Car
A Book Proposal for Sam’s Technical Publishing
By Jerry Flattum
Revised, July 2, 2005
Background
Imagine turning your car into a mobile concert hall. Installing the right mp3 player makes such a dream possible. However, installing the right player also means installing the right sound system to go with it. Of course, everything depends on budget. So the right system can range from a simple mounted mp3 player connected to the OEM sound system already installed, to a high-end system that includes a computing interface, GPS, cassette/CD, amplification, audio enhancement (F/X), satellite radio and even video.
A car is not just transportation. Cars are a way of life. Most people spend a tremendous amount of time in their cars driving to and from work, school and other places. Outside of driving and conversation, the activity most performed in a car is listening to music.
Finding the right radio station is often hit or miss. CDs offer some independence, but if a single song is all you want to hear, swapping CDs after each song is not only inconvenient but also dangerously distracting. The solution: Mp3.
Portable mp3 players up the ante on independence but fail to provide the audio playback quality that customized auto stereo systems offer. Installing an mp3 player in your car gives you complete freedom over what you hear and how you want to hear it.
According to the US Census Bureau, Americans spend on average anywhere from 20-30 commuting to work. The average does not include the trip home, which often includes running errands and other personal drive time. Add to this the use of a car during work
(many occupations), evening trips and the weekends (friends, family, restaurants, school, etc.).
Moods change. Passengers are often along for the ride (with contrasting music tastes).
Radio stations are rife with DJ chatter, advertising and weather interruptions, frequently at the wrong times. In a new media technology world where “on demand” is becoming the standard, the same applies to listening to music in the car: You want to hear want you want to hear when you want to hear it…and how you want to hear it.
Installing an mp3 player in your car can be as simple as a dashboard mount or a fully computerized/built-in solution, largely determined by budget. Many independent companies have been offering audio installation services for years, from 8-tracks to cassettes to a wide range of speaker systems. But with a little time and effort you can do it yourself for only the cost of the equipment.
Table of Contents at a Glance (Chapter titles only)

Audio

MP3

Choosing the Right System


Installation
 iPod

Computer Interface

Equipment

F/X Processing

Amplification

Speaker Systems

Wire and Cable

Accessories

Trouble Shooting

Final Considerations
Detailed Table of Contents
Audio

Basics: (audio files, playback, amplification, speakers, f/x, current, hertz, watts, decibel, harmonic distortion, frequency response, and more)
Managing Mp3 Files
History of Mp3

MPEG

MPEG Audio Layer III

Fraunhofer Gesellschaft

PtoP
Audio Files: A Review

.Mp3

.Wav

.ra

.AIFF

.MID

.wma

Other (dozens)
Converting Audio into Mp3 Files

Mp3 Encoders

Mp3 Decoders

Mp3 Burners

Mp3 Rippers

Mp3 Combo Converter/Player

Mp3 Conversion Software

Mp3 Conversion Freeware
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
Mp3 Recording

Mp3 Codec

Mp3 Tools

Mp3 Utilities

Mp3 Peer to Peer Programs

Mp3 Subscription Services

Mp3 Home Recordists

Mp3 Mix/DJ
Transferring Mp3 Files

CD/DVD

Mobile Devices

Transferring To Auto

Mp3 Storage

Mp3 Streaming
Choosing the Right System

Portability

Installation

CD Players and Changers

AM/FM CD Players

MP3 Players (Kenwood, Panasonic, Sony, Alpine, Pioneer, JVC, Clarion, Jensen, other)

MP3/CD Players

CD/Cassette/Mp3 Combos

Changers & Players

HD Radio: Tuners, Stereos, CD and Mp3 Players

Satellite Radio: Kits, Adapters, and Antennas
Installation

Matching Player with Auto Manufacturer: Compatibility Issues

Help from Auto Manufacturers

Help from local Installation Services

Websites that match audio systems with auto make and model

Reinstalling in a new vehicle

Mounting kits

Wiring harnesses

Antenna adapters

In-dash Stereo Installation

Auxiliary Input Adapters

Tools

Universal Mounting Kits

Uninstalling OEM

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Some vehicles require no mounting kits. Some vehicles need special factory system integration gear to match a new receiver to factory equipment (these are not free). Some vehicles require no speaker connectors. Kits, harnesses, connectors, and instructions are available for most, but not all, vehicles. iPod iPod expansion: Nyko Technologies Inc.'s MoviePlayer (allows iPods to play video);
Griffin Technology Inc.'s $19.99 iBeam (turns iPod into a flashlight or a laser pointer);
Belkin Corp.'s $29.99 microphone (permits voice recording). Bose Corp. sells the
SoundDock speaker for $299 and a $149 adapter lets BMW owners plug an iPod into the stereo system via a cable in the glove compartment. Altec Lansing Technologies and many other manufacturers sell speakers for iPod. Clarion Co.'s in-dash, touch screen car entertainment system runs $1,599. Alpine Ai-NET Receivers are satellite-radio-ready and fully compatible with both XM and Sirius Satellite Radio. LCD displays on an indash receiver allow viewing of playlists, artists and songs without inhibiting driving.
Computer Interface

Stacking: mp3, CD and Cassette

F/X Processing

Security

Headphones

Speaker Systems

Amplification

GPS

Satellite Radio

Accessories
Equipment

New vs. Used

Local installation providers
 eBay

Internet

Direct from Manufacturer

Other Electronics outlets
F/X Processing

Intro to DSP

Equalizers

Compression

Bass Boost

Reverb units
Amplification

Intro to Amplifiers

Power needs


Manufacturers

Compatibility with mp3 players

Stereo vs. Surround Sound

Installation

2-channel Amps

Multi-channel Amps

Mono Subwoofer Amps

Equalizers

Crossovers

Single-amp Wiring Kits

Multi-amp Wiring Kits

Battery Terminals

Power Cable Terminals
Speaker Systems

Intro to Car Speakers

Speaker Basics: Tweeters, Midrange, Woofers, Subwoofers, Response, Peak levels

Enclosures: Choosing and Building, Powered and Non-powered Subwoofers

Speaker Size: 5-1/4", 6-1/2", 6-3/4", etc.

Speaker Wire

Speaker Connectors

Foam Speaker Baffles

Bass Blockers
Wire and Cable

Wire basics

Best Wire/Cable for Audio

Grounding

Soldering
Accessories

Changer Magazines

FM Modulators

Adapters and Cables

Brackets and Hardware

In-dash Stereo Accessories

Face Cases and Covers

In-dash Stereo Add-ons

Remote Controls

CD and DVD Cases

Cleaners
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Trouble Shooting

No sound

Weak audio

Electrical

Upgrading
Final Considerations

Interior modifications

Security (Alarms, Keyless Entry, Pagers, Accessories, etc.)

Insurance

Road Safety

Resources: Books, Magazines, Websites, and Test Reports
Audience
The audience for installing an mp3 in a car virtually covers all demographics. Older demographics are inclined to hire outside installation services because of more expendable income. However, car enthusiasts have been customizing the exterior and interior of their cars for decades and take pride in doing so regardless of cost or experience.
Estimates for the number of cars sold annually range from 15-16 million. The current number of cars on the road worldwide is estimated anywhere from 450-600 million and this figure is expected to double by 2025-2030.
Mp3 has become the new standard in audio and even newer cars have yet to fully embrace mp3-based audio systems. Cars that do feature high-end audio systems are usually quite expensive. A self-installed, fully customizable and expandable system costs less and offers the greatest reward.
Ever since the Napster dilemma, the mp3 market has grown exponentially. Over the past few years, world music sales range from 30-40bil, with the US market enjoying an average of 12-14bil per year. Most of these figures were largely based on CD sales.
International research firm Jupiter Research, a division of JupiterMedia Corp., predicts
U.S. MP3 player shipments will top 26 million mp3 players by 2006. IFPI, representing the global music industry, claims current mp3 sales in the 200mil range and growing exponentially.
Competition
Using Amazon.com as a primary source, there are a number of books on mp3 in general but few on installing mp3 players in cars.
Many of the books are outdated or written specific to a car make and model or particular mp3 player.

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Under the subject of "car audio" there are 328 selections. A number of the selections discuss CD content (learning languages, audio books, etc.) with no reference to mp3 or mp3 players.
Books on mp3 players (50 titles with Amazon; 65 titles with Barnes/Noble) are scant, with book titles geared towards mp3 and the Internet, mp3 for musicians and a smattering of very expensive research reports on the mp3 market.
CDs and DVDs providing film, video and interactive guides pose a competitive threat to print materials. How many are mp3 specific is unknown.
The Savvy Guide to MP3s for Your Car covers the full range of mp3 player solutions for all cars. Although guides for all the makes and models speaks volumes, whatever information is not provided in the Savvy Guide to MP3s for Your Car will be addressed through a comprehensive list of resources available in print, from manufacturers and online. The guide will not only be informative but conversational, appealing to both technical and audio enthusiasts alike. As the market for mp3 audio becomes the standard, auto sound systems become equally important as home and portable systems. In fact, all three are interlaced.
Bio
Jerry Flattum has a Masters in Liberal Studies and a self-designed BS in Popular Music and Songwriting, both degrees from the University of Minnesota. He is an established freelance writer and in 2004 signed his first book contract with Publish America. The book is called, Bridge on Fire: a Holistic Journey in Song Creation , a comprehensive songwriting manual from the technical, social, cultural and entertainment industry perspectives. He’s been a columnist for Musesmuse.com since 1995, a top songwriting website, and in June 2005 completed a 9-part series on “What Is a Broadcast Quality
Recording?” He plans to launch JerryFlattum.com in 2005 featuring numerous original songs recorded via a home studio centered on the mp3 audio format.
Marketing Solutions
There are a tremendous number of mp3-based websites with few addressing the needs of installing mp3 music systems in cars. The Savvy Guide to MP3s for Your Car opens a new market with endless Internet cross-marketing opportunities. Brick and mortar music stores will also prove to be a valuable outlet for book sales in addition to electronicsbased outlets. In addition, most major IT retail and wholesale-based websites feature mp3 and mp3 player coverage and will provide ample outlets for book reviews.